alone is exalted O that this Day vvere more knovvn and the Lord vvho is indeed vvorthy vvere more exalted and all Flesh become his Foot-stool forever Concerning the true Church and Ministry under the Gospel and the Maintenance thereof some few Questions answered in Truth and Plainness of Heart and left to the Witness and Testimony of God in other mens Consciences Question 1. WHich is the true Church or the Gospel-Church or he Church according to the new Covenant For â—here was an old Covenant and a Church according to that under the Law And there â—s a new Covenant and a Church according to that under the Gospel Answ For the clearing of this to the hearts and Consciences of People let us enquire and consider what the new Covenant is and then it will more easily appear which is the Church according to the new Covenant The new Covenant according to plain scripture and according to manifest experience â—n this blessed Day of the shining of the Gospel-Light in mens heatts is a Covenant oâ— God's putting his Law in the inward parts oâ— People and writing it in their hearts and of his becoming their God making â—hem hiâ— People and of teaching thâ—m all to know him inwardly and experimentally from the least to the greatest and of being merciful to their unrighteousness and remembring theiâ— sins and iniquities no more Jer. 31.33 34 Heb. 8.10 11 12. Now if this be the new Covenant the Covenant of the Gospel-Church then they are the Gospel-Church who are the People oâ— God according to this Covenant who have the law put by God into their inward parts and writ in their hearts and so according to this law and covenant have God to bâ— their God and are his People and are taughâ— by him to know him as it is written All thâ— Children shall be taught of the Lord Isa 54.13 John 6 45. and whose unrighteousnesâ— God hath been merciful to and whose sins and iniquities he remembereth no more being washed away from their Consciences by the Blood of the everlasting Covenant which thâ— Blood of Bulls and Goats could never do Sâ— that this is the new Testament-Church oâ— Gospel-Church a Church of Jews inward aâ— the Law-Church was a Church of Jews outward A Church of inward Worshippers oâ— Worshippers in Spirit and in Truth John 4.23 as the Law-Church was a Church of Worshippers outward A Church of inward circumcised ones as the Law-Church was a Church of outwardly circumcised ones Rom. 2.29 A Church of such as are inwardly holy as the Law-Church was to be a Church of such as were outwardly holy A Church of such as offer inward Incense and Sacrifices as the Law-Church was a Church of such as offered outward Incense and Sacrifices A Church of inwardly redeemed ones from the inward Egypt from the inward Darkness and Power of Satan as the Law-Church was a Church of such as were redeemed from the outward Egypt and the Povver of Pharaoh outvvard A Church that hath the invvard Ark Rev. 11.19 the invvard Presence the invvard Manna c. as the outvvard Church of the Jews had the outvvard Qu. 2. Which is the true Gospel-Ministry and who are the true Gospel-Ministers Answ Those vvhom Christ sends forth in the Spirit and Povver of his Father to gather and build up this Church Christ had all Power in Heaven and Earth given him even to ths very End to gather defend and build up his Church And he bid his Apostles vvait for the same Povver and sends forth his Ministers in the same Povver that they may be able Ministers of the Gospel vvhich is not VVords but Povver even the Povver of God unto Salvation Rom. 1.16 The nevv Covenant stands is not in Letter but in Spirit and Povver and they that are the Ministers of it must receive Life Spirit and Povver from Christ the Head and minister in that Spirit Life and Povver to the Members or they cannot nourish and build them up Yea they must preach and minister to the VVorld in it or they are not able to gather out of the VVorld into it Christ the Lord oâ— his Church the Foundation of Life in his Church the everlasting Rock is a living Stone and his Church is built of lively Stones And hovv can any minister Life unto them or build them up in the Life Spirit and Power but who aâ—e in the Life Spirit and Power and who receive Life Spirit and Power from the Head to furthe quicken and build up the living Members with The Milk which nourisheth the living Babe is living which must come pure from the Breast of Life and not be mixed with man's VVisdom or Brain-invâ—ntions or it cannot yield pure Nourishment VVhat then must the Bread and VVine and VVater of the Kingdom be whereon the Children and Heirs of the Kingdom must feed or they cannot be satisfied And the Ministers of the Gospel are Stewards of this heavenly Life this heavenly Spirit this heavenly Power this heavenly Treasure which they have in the earthen Vessels and which God enables them to bring forth for the feeding of his Lambs and Sheep Christ said unto Peter Lovest thou me more then these Peter answered him Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee If it be so Feed my Lambs feed my Sheep said Christ to him But how should he feed them In what should he feed them VVith what should he feed them All Power saith Christ is given me in Heaven and in Earth and I am to ascend to my Father and to receive the Fulness of his Spirit and do ye wait and ye shall receive abundantly of the same spirit and power and then in that spirit and power ye shall be able to feed my Lambs and Sheep that are begotten and gathered to me in it But out of it none is able to feed and build them up for that is the very thing they are to be fed with and built up in· Indeed a man may be a Minister of the letter a Minister of the law without the spirit and power but of he Gospel he cannot possibly for that consists not in letter but in spirit 2 Cor. 3. And the Faith that is to be begotten there is not to stand in the VVisdom of man but in the Power of God The Gospel-state the Gospel-church the Gospel-building begins in the Power and is carried on in the Power and finished or perfected in the Power and the whole Ministry of the Gospel is to partake of this Power and minister in it or they can do nothing in this work Christ Jesus our Lord begun it in this Power and none can carry it on without this Power The Lord God of Glory laid the foundation Behold I lay in Zion for a Foundation c. Isa 28.16 1 Pet. 2.4 5 6. And the quickning spirit alone is able to make living stones and spiritual stones and the Lord alone is able to build them up by the operation of this spirit and power
Dominion shall not pass away or the Scepter and law-giving Power shall not pass away from him as it did from Judah nor shall his Kingdom ever be destroyed Dan. 7.14 but God will give to him the Throre of his Father David and he shall reign over the House of Jacob forever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end Qu. But who are the People that shall be gathered to him Answ The People that shall heâ—r his voice and come at his call that shall receive the instruction of Wisdom and feel the drawing Power and Virtue of the Father in the Day of his Power It is written in the Prophets All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord. And every one that is taught and learneth of the Father cometh to the Son cometh to the Messiah cometh to the Shiloh to the word eternal to the word of Life in the Heart Qu. Was not the Messiah promised to the Jews to come of them and to be appropriated to them Answ He was promised to them and to come of them but not to be appropriated to them But he was to be the Universal Saviour to all that should come under his Ensign and Banner He shall set up an Ensign for the Nations and he shall sprinkle many Nations c. And God promised that he would give his Son his elect choice Servant for a Light to the Gentiles Qu. Were the Jews then excluded Answ No They were to be gathered to Shiloh as well as others Nay the Lord had a special regard to them The Gospel was first preached to them They had the first Offer or the first Call to the spiritual Glory They were the Children of the Prophets and of the Covenant God made with their Fathers unto whom God having raised up his Son Jesus sent him to bless them in turning away every one of them from their Iniquities And the whole Nation turning from their Iniquities should have been gathered by him and should have enjoyed the Blessing of his Day and Kingdom Yea the first gathering was from among them and the first glorious Gospel-church was at Jerusalem where the Spirit and Power of the Lord Jesus did most eminently and wonderfully break forth and great Grace was upon them all But the Nation was not gathered to Shiloh nor did come under his Scepter and Government but only a remnant of the Nation So these being gathered the rest were cast off and the Ensign was carried among the Gentiles and the great gathering was there among them Qu. How is it manifest that the great Gathering to Shiloh was to be from among the Gentiles Answ By many expess Prophecies of Scripture and Promises to the Messiah that he should have the Gentiles for his Inheritance and Possession VVhen God establisheth his King the Messiah upon the holy Hill of spiritual Zion notwithstanding all the Heathens rage against him and the People of the Jews imagining a vain thing thinking to keep the Body of him in the grave who was the Resurrection and the Life what saith the Lord to him Ask of me and I will give thee the Heathen thine Inheritance and the uttermost Parts of the Earth thy Possession Psalm 2. The Lord said in another place It is a light thing that thou shouldst be my Servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved of Israel I will also give thee for a Light to the Gentiles that thou mayest be my Salvation unto the Ends of the Earth Isa 49.6 Again the Lord saith further From the rising of the Sun even unto the going down of the same my Name shall be great among the Gentiles and in every place Incense shall be offered unto my Name and a pure Offering For my Name shall be great among the Heathen saith the Lord of Hosts Mal. 1.11 Sing O barren thou that didst not bear break forth into singing and cry aloud thou that didst not travel with Child for more are the Children of the Desolate thâ—n the Children of the married Wife saith the Lord Isa 54.1 Who was the married Wife who was the Mother in the Dayes of the first Covenant was it not the Jerusalem below Who was then Desolate and Barren was it not another Jerusalem which is free and the Mother of all the spiritual Children Why was she now to rejoyce and sing But because she was to break forth on the right hand and on the left and her Seed was to inherit the Gentiles and make the desolate Cities to be inhabited ver 3. The Covenant on Mount Sinai did bring forth a great People whereof Jerusulem that was below was the Mother The Covenant afterwards made besides that in Horeb whereof the Word nigh in the heart and mouth is the Foundation by which Word God circumcifeth was as yet Barren and did not bring forth a People to the Lord. But this Covenant was to have a time the Jerusalem above was to have a time wherein her Seed should inherit the Gentiles and the Maker the Husband should be called the God of the whole Earth ver 5. Read Gal. 4. and see how the Apostle of the Gentiles expounds this Mystery shewing which is the free woman and her free Children and which is the bond woman and which the bond Children who are cast out in the Day of God and in the shining of his Heavenly Light inwardly and cannot inherit the glorious Kingdom of the Gospel with the Children of the free woman And consider who were the People in the time of the first Covenant VVho obtained Mercy then VVere they not the Jews And who were not a People and who did not obâ—ain mercy but were left out of the love and mercy of the first Covenant VVere they not the Gentiles And did not the Lord promise that he would have mercy on them that had not obtained mercy and that he would say to them that were not his People THOV ART MY PEOPLE and they shall say MY GOD Hos 2.23 compared vvith Rom. 9.26 VVas not this once gloriously fulfilled in the first Visitation of the Gentiles And is it not again gloriously fulfilled in his novv visiting them again vvith the fresh Sound of the everlasting Gospel as vvas promised Rev. 14.7 O vvhat a Promise is that concerning the Day of God that In that day there shall be a Root of Jesse which shall stand for an Ensign of the People to it shall the Gentiles seek and his Rest shall be glorious Isa 11.10 Is not This the Day wherein the holy Mountain is known and that nothing can hurt or destroy there And doth not the Knowledge of the Lord cover his Land his Earth as the VVaters do the Sea And doth not the Root of Jesse the Rock of Life and Salvation stand for an Ensign placed so by God and who can displace it or shake them that are built on the inward Mount Zion Yea is not the Rest of the weary Soul when 〈◊〉 comes hither found to be very glorious
TO THE JEWS NATVRAL AND TO THE JEWS SPIRITVAL With a few Words to England my Native Country c. Some Sensible Weighty QUERIES Concerning some things very sweet and necessary to be experienced in the Truly-Christian State whereunto is added A Postscript Containing some Queries on Isa 50·10 11. A Scripture of Deep Counsel Concern to the darkned and distressed states of some among those that fear obey the Lord. By ISAAC PENINGTON Printed in the Year 1677. TO THE JEWS NATVRAL AND TO THE JEWS SPIRITVAL With a few Words to England my Native Country Whereunto are added two or three Queries touching the River and City of God and the pure Stilness wherein God is known and exalted As also some Questions answered concerning the true Church Ministry and Maintenance under the Gospel about the Lamb's war Written in Travelling Bowels By ISAAC PENINGTON Truly God is good to Israel to such as are of a clean heart Psalm 73.11 Behold an Isralite indeed in whom is no guile Joh. 1.47 For he is not a Iew that is one outwardly neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh but he is a Iew which is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose Praise is not of men but of God Rom. 2.28 29. Behold the Dayes come saith the Lord that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised Egypt and Iudah and Edom and the Children of Ammon and Moab and all that are in the utmost corners that dwell in the wilderness for all these Nations are uncircumcised and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart Ier. 9.25 26. Printed in the Year 1677. THE PREFACE WHat a day of distress and revelation of the righteous Judgment of God is to come upon the wicked and ungodly World even upon man who was created in the Image of God but is now fallen from it and found out of it and in another Image very unlike it the eye which the God of this world hath blinded and the heart which he hath hardened by sin and transgression hath no sense of What a day of distress and misery some in this nation and in other parts of the World have already met with how they have felt the Weight of Sin upon their Spirits and what a sore thing it hath been to them to feel their Souls separated from that God that made them who is the Husband and Father King and Preserver of Souls that are found in his Image and Nature how they have been inwardly captivated by a Forreign Power and oppressed and made to serve under sin and could hear no effectual Tidings of his appearance who was able to save but their Spirits were ready to sink and their Hope of Redemption from that which oppressed and captivated them almost cut off this being an inward State and Condition hath been altogether hid from the Eye which is outward How the Lord at length appeared unto these his Bowels having long rowled over them and he having long waited to be gracious to them even till the fully acceptable and set time was come how his Light hath shined in and upon them how he gathered those dry Bones together and breathed Life into them and made them live this is also altogether an hidden thing from the Eye of the World How the Lord who appeared to them hath exercised and tried them how he hath judged them and how he hath saved them what Desolations he hath made inwardly in them and what he hath built up there what an Hammer a Sword a Fire c. his pure Word of Life hath been in them How that Birth which could live without God without his inward Life or upon Words and Knowledge without Life hath been famished until by the Pain of the Famine its very Life and Breath hath been taken from it and it crucified with Christ by the Pain of the Cross of Christ and what Birth hath been raised and crowned afterwards and beautified with the Ornaments of Righteousness and Salvation yea with the endless Love and Mercy of its God and how the Lord is with his People and dwells and walks in them and how he hath humbled them to walk with him and how in Fear and Humility they do walk with him in the Light of the Day everlasting even as God is Light and walks in the Light of his own Day these are very strange and unknown things to the Wisest and most Prudent in Religion at this Day who are not gathered into the Mystery of Godliness nor into the Spirit Power and Glory of the Father where these things are revealed in and by the Son What Faith the Children of Wisdom have in the Wisdom and Power which hath appeared what Confidence they have in the Lord their God that he will stand by them in all their Exercises and Trials both inward and outward and what Experiences they have had of the Lords standing by them in both how his Faithfulness doth not fail and how their Faith in him is upheld and preserved by him that it doth not fail in the stormy time or Hour of greatest Distress and how their Eye is unto him and their Hearts with him in the Calms so that their God is all in all unto them continually And who knows this but they that have it Oh who can utter or declare the Sweetness and Certainty of this where it is enjoyed What Love also the Lord sheds abroad in their Hearts and how he teacheth and causeth them to love by often circumcising their Hearts and cutting off that which hindereth the pure Love from springing in them and how they love others in the Love wherewith God who is Love hath loved them and how natural it is to them to pray for their Enemies and to bless them that curse them and do Good for Evil but cannot requite Evil for Evil being transplanted into and growing up in the Root that is good and sends up good sap and Virtue into them which nourisheth all that is good in them but is Death and Destruction to the Remainders of evil as the Lord pursueth and findeth it out Oh how impossible is it for the Heart of man to conceive or understand Now I also having tasted of the Mercy and Goodness of the Lord and having been brought out of a State of great Misery and Sorrow of Heart into the Redemption and Joy of God's chosen and having found the Lord faithful to me and giving me Faith in the Appearance of his Spirit and Power in me and true Love tender Love not only to my Brethren in the Truth but to all Mankind springing in me and divers Fruits issuing forth from it some of them at this time I cannot but publish and the Lord open the Hearts of those whom it concerns that they may find some Help Benefit and Furtherance by it for it is the Joy of my Heart to receive Good from God
And when this Ensign is more fully lifted up shall not the Gentiles more abundantly come unto God from the Ends of the Earth and bewail their dead and estranged Estate from God saying Surely our Fathers inherited Vanity and things wherein is no Profit Jer. 16·19 And shall they not turn from all their Idols to serve the living God Thes 1.9 And concerning the Messiah it vvas promised that in his Name should the Gentiles trust and the Isles should vvait for his lavv and he should bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles Isa 42.11 vvith Mat. 12.21 But vvhat should I mention any more Scriptures unto you concerning this thing vvhenas ye have so large full certain and daily Experience of it in that vvhich is pure and living of God which never deceived nor can deceive any for ye are begotten by his Spirit into his own Image and Nature and have received the Spirit of Adoption whereâ—n ye cry Abba Father to the Father of Spirits He found you indeed in a strange land under great Captivity and Alienation ftom him Ye have been in Egypt in Sodom in Babylon spiritually But the mercy of the Lord hath followed you thither and the Arm of the Lord hath reached to you there and hath cut Rahab and wounded the Dragon Yea he whom the Lord hath given for a Light to the Gentiles hath shined to you there in the midst of your Darkness So that God sent among you the Prophet like unto Moses though far above Moses and hearing him he led you out of Egypt and by the Rod of his Power did Signs and Wonders and valiant Acts there breaking that Power which with a strong Hand held you captive there and oppressed you And ye have known the Travel Trials and Temptations in the spiritual Wilderness and the falling of the carcases which were to fall there and the holy leading by the Pillar of Cloud and Fire through all the Entanglements and Dangers therein Yea and the faithful among you the tried and prepared among you have passed over Jordan the River of pure Judgment into the good Land and come to witness David and Solomon who are one in Spirit your King who rules in Righteousnes and ministers to you Peace everlasting And ye have an High-Priest there not after the Order of Aaron but after the Order of Melchizedeck who is made the Everlasting High-Priest of God not after the Law of a Carnal Commandment but after the Power of an Endless Life whose lips preserve the knowledge of the law for you in that endless power of Life who ministers for you to you in that endless Power and intercedes with Power and Efficacy and sprinkles the Blood of the Covenant upon you vvhich takes avvay sin from your Hearts Consciences So that ye knovv the invvard Jew's state the invvard Holy Land and Kingdom the inward Circumcision before ye enter into that Land and the inward Lamb the inward Passeover the inward Mount Zion and Jerusalem the inward Sacrifices and Incense the inward Tabernacle Temple and Ark of the Covenant the inward Table of Shew-Bread the inward Manna the inward Rod that buddeth the inward Candlestick and the Lamps which are never to go out in God's Temple And what should I say more All that that people were to be outwardly in an outvvard VVay and State hath God made you invvardly in the Substance And what God would have been to them outvvardly had they obeyed his Voice and kept his Statutes and Judgments that he is to you invvardly vvho are the called and chosen and faithful Followers of the Lamb And ye are the enjoyers of their Bâ—essings and Promises inwardly O the glory of your State to the Eye that is opened to see it Now somewhat doth remain on my Heart unto you O be daily sensible of the tender Goodness and Mercy of the Lord which is broke forth among you What Mercy what Love hath the Father shewn unto you that ye should be thus accounted the Children of God! that they which were once nigh should be removed so far off and ye whiâ—h were so far off should be brought so nigh and should forever inherit the sure mercies of David For of a Truth the Lord will never forsake you but his mercy endures forever towards you and your Stakes shall never be removed but this inward Building shall stand forever This Zion is the Place of God's Rest where he will dwell forever whereof the outward Zion was but a Figure 2 dly Remember what the Lord promised himself concerning you When he vvas vveary of that people and continually complaining of them O vvhat did he promise himself concerning the People he vvould bring forth by the Spirit and Povver of the Messiah in the latter Dayes Did he not promise himself that they should be an holy People an invvardly circumcised people a People that should please him Sheep that should hear the Shepherd's Voice and be healed by him gathered home to him and so follovv and learn of him the Shepherd that they should all know him from the least to the greatest and that he would forgive their Sins and heal their Backslidings and they should not return to Folly or backslide any more as the Children after the Flesh alwayes did Is not this the People whom indeed God hath formed for himself who shall shew forth his praise 3 dly Remember what a Covenant God hath prepared to make with you as ye incline your Ears to him and are led by him into the holy agreement with him even a Cevenant which is not weak as the old Covenant vvas but is full of Virtue and Vigour to enable you to do whatever God requires of you Mark what it contains Putting God's Fear into you Not the Fear which is taught by man's precepts vvhich man may get into hiâ— carnal mind but vvhich God places as the Trasury of Life in the Heart as it is vvritten The Fear of the Lord is his Treasure Isa 33.6 And O vvho knovvs the preciousness of this Treasure Hovv it cleanseth the Heart and keepeth it clean and will not suffer the mind that is seasoned with it and kept to it to depart from the living God! It fenceth from Unbelief it fenceth from Disobedience it will not suffer the Soul so much as to meddle with any Appearance of Evil. O precious glorious blessed Treasure Happy is the manâ— that feareth alwayes with this Fear Another precious thing this Covenant contains is The Law written in the Heart that it shall be as near yea nearer then sin is in the Heart that is made tender and hath the Law of the Spirit of Life written in it Who knows what it is to have the Law of Love the Law of Life the Law of the Spirit the Law of Faith the Law of new Obedience livingly written by God in his Heart Surely none can but they in whom God writes it And such cannot but desire to have it written in their Hearts by his blessed
whose VVrath is dreadful Rev. 19.11 to the end Psalm 2.11 Qu· 8. What shall the Cry be when God's Spirit and Power prevaileth over the Dragon's Spirit and â—nd Power when the Lamb gets the Victory when he smites the Earth with the Rod of his Mouth and with the Breath of his Lips shall slay the Wicked when he brings down the Dragon Beast and false Prophet and the false Church Mother of Harlots which hath drunk the Blood of his Saints with his Vials Plagues Woes Thunders c When Babylon the great City falls which made all Nations drunk with her spiritual Wine of Fornication Answ Then the Power which doth this shall be magnified Then it shall be said no more who can make War with the Beast but who can withstand this Power Who can make War with the Innocent Righteous Lamb who hath his sword in his Mouth and with his tender-hearted faithful Followers and prosper Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name For all Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy Judgments are made manifest Great and Marvelous are thy Works Lord God Almighty Just and True are thy Wayes thou King of Saints Rev. 15.3 4. Yea a great Voice of much People in Heaven shall say Allelujah Salvation and Glory and Honour and Power unto the Lord our God for True and Righteous are his Judgments for he hath judged the great Whore which did corrupt the Earth with her Fornication and hath avenged the Blood of his Servants at her Hand chap. 19. ver 1.2 Now doth it not concern all people to consider which is Zion God's holy Mountain and which is the Jerusalem of his building the holy City of God the holy Church of God the Mother of all the truly living Children for the Jerusalem which is above and which is free is the Mother of them all Gal. 4.26 And also which is Babylon the City built by man and the Spirit of Antichrist in a kind of likeness but not in the real nature of the true Church that they may wait for and follow God's Call to come out of her and may not partake of her sins of her sorceries Rev. 18.22 of her Fornication from the pure Life Spirit and Power and seting up Worships and compelling people to worship in her forms which are out of the Life and out of the Power that they partake not of her plagues which will indeed be very dreadful such as shall affright any from coming near her or medling with her spiritual sorceries and fornications any more Rev. 18.4 ver 9 10. O therefore let every one consider what the Beast is what his Image what the Mark in the Forehead what in the right Hand and take heed he be not found worshipping the Beast and his Image or receiving his Mark either in his Forehead or right hand lest God make him to drink of the Wine of his Wrath which is poured out without Mixture into the Cup of his Indignation and he be tormented with Fire and Brimstone in the Presence of the holy Angels and in the Presence of the Lamb and have no rest Day nor Night Rev. 14.9 10 11. I had rather run great hazards outwardly and suffer much Affliction and Persecution from Men to keep my Soul true to God in the spiritual Worship and Testimony which he hath given me against all false Wayes and invented Worships then expose my Soul to the hazard of drinking of this dreadful Cup of God's Indignation which the Lord God of tender Mercies teach men and give them true VVisdom to avoid and escape Amen THE CONCLUSION BEhold my Servant shall deal prudently he shall be exalted and extolled and be very high As many were astonied at thee his Visage was so marred more then any man and his Form more then the Sons of Men so shall he sprinkle many Nations the Kings shall shut their mouthes at him For that which had not been told them shall they see and that which they had not heard shall they consider Isa 52.13 14 15 Thou art fairer then the Children of Men Grace is poured into thy Lips therefore God hath blessed thee forever Gird thy Sword upon thy Thigh O most mighty with thy Glory and thy Majesty And in thy Majesty ride prosperously because of Truth and Meekness and Righteousness and thy Right Hand shall teach thee terrible things Thine Arrows are sharp in the Hearts of the King's Enemies whereby the People shall fall under thee Thy Throne O God is forever and ever The Scepter of thy Kingdom is a right Scepter Thou lovest Righteousness and hatest Wickedness therefore God thy God hoth anointed thee with the Oyl of Gladness above thy Fellows Psalm 45. ver 2. to 8. Strengthen ye the weak Hands and confirm the feeble Knees Say to them that are of a fearful Heart be strong fear not Behold your God will come with Vengeance even God with a Recompence he will come and save you Then the Eyes of the blind shall be opened and the Ears of the deaf shall be unstopped Then shall the lame man leap as an Hart and the Tongue of the dumb sing For in the Wilderness shall Waters break out and streams in the Desert And the parched Ground shall become a Pool and the thirsty Land Springs of Water In the Habitation of Dragons where each lay shall be Grass with Reeds and Rushes And an high-way shall be there and a way and it shall be called the way of Holiness the unclean shall not pass over it but it shall be for those the wayfaring men though Fools shall not err therein No Lyon shall be there nor any ravenous Beast shall go up thereon it shall not be found there But the redeemed shall walk there And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with Songs and everlasting Joy upon their Heads They shall obtain Joy and Gladness and Sorrow and Sighing shall flee away Isa 35. ver 3. to the end Blessed be the Lord God of Life forever â—hese Scriptures and many more are sweetâ—y and preciously fulfilled in the hearts of a Remnant in this our Day They were once in a degree fulfilled in the Day of the Apâ—earance of the word of Life in the prepaâ—ed Body of Flesh They were again moâ—e geâ—erally fulfilled in the Day of the pouring â—ut of his Spirit and gathering a people to â—im both from among the Jews and Gentiles â—hom he did sprinkle with his holy Life Spiâ—it and Power And they are again fulfilled â—n the hearts of many after the long Night of Darkness and great and large Apostacy from â—he Spirit and Power of the Apostles Blessed O blessed be the Lord the Sun of Righâ—eousness hath again shone forth and appeared inwardly in a glorious living powerful manner to them that have feared his Name and he hath been a God of Vengeance to the Man of Sin yea to all that was dark fleshly and corrupt in them and a God of
Mercy and tender Bowels to those which panâ—â—â— after and waited for his Salvation And the healing Virtue from under the VVings of the Saviour and the holy Anointing hath dropped upon the Eyes of the blind the puâ—e Eye-salve and they have been opened and the Ears of the deaf by the Voice of the Son of God have been unstopped and the inwardly and spiriually lame have leaped as an Hart and the Tongue which could not name God in Truth and Righteousness but hath been dumb before him and before men also could not but sing because of the breaking forth of the VVaters and Streams of Life upon the thirsty land and parched ground making them a pool and springs of water VVhich land which thus is changed from its wilderness and parched state into an holy fresh and living state the Dragons do not lodge in nor is it any more an Habitation or Cage for unclean noisom Birds as great professing Babylon the Mother of Harlots with all her fleshly professing-Daughters is but Life dwells there the holy one is in the midst of this land it brings forth the fruits of Life and Righteousness to the righteous holy one And here the King of Glory's High-way even the way of Holiness is known which none but those whom he makes holy can walk in Let men profess what they will yet being unclean in Heart and Coversation they cannot pass over to come into this Way but the holy they which are made holy by God and keep to live in and follow that which is holy though way faring men and though otherwise Fools yet they shall not err here but be preserved by the holy Power in the holy way which is prepared and cast up for these And as for that which would tear and destroy it shall not be found on all that holy Mountain where these live and feed Yea here is the House of God and Throne of God and God the Judge of all and Jesus the Mediator of the new Covenant and the Blood of sprinkling where the ransomed of the Lord enjoy the Presence of the Bridegroom whom God hath set King and who reigns on his holy Hill of inward and spiritual Zion and causeth them to sing who feel him reign even the everlasting Seed of Life to reign inwardly in the Heart Oh everlasting Joy is upon their Heads they have obtained Joy and Gladness and Sorrow and Sighing flees away when the Joy unspeakable and full of Glory is felt springing in the Heart from the Sense of the Presence and Enjoyment of the Bridegroom for of a Truth the Lord hath comforted Zion yea he hath comforted many of her waste places he was angry with her Daughters before their filth was purged away by the Spirit â—udgment and Burning since that time his Anger hath been turned away and he hath comforted them Isa 12.1 c. and he hath made her Wilderness in many hearâ—s like Eden and her Desert like the Garden of the Lord even like the Garden that he waters and how can Joy and Gladness but be found here with Thanksgiving and the Voice of Melody Isa 58.11 chap. 51.3 Thus it is with such of the gathered People and Nation of the Lord that hearken and give ear to him and have known the Law of Life to proceed out of his Mouth and his Judgment to rest for a Light ver 4. THE END THE CONTENTS First A Preface concerning God's visiting and appearing to his distressed People in this and other Nations II. Somewhat in the Love of God to the Iews Natural p. 1. III. Somewhat in the same Love to the Iews Spiritual p. 16. IV. A few Words to England my Native Country p. 31. V. Three Queries on three Verses of Psalm 46. p. 36. VI. Some Questions answered concerning the true Church Ministry Maintenance under the Gospel p. 39. VII Some Questions answered touching the Lamb's War p. 45. VIII The Conclusion containing some precious Scriptures concerning Christ's inward Appearance and his powerful Working against his Enemies and in and for his People with some few Words added thereupon